In this week’s episode, Aoi gets the perfect opportunity to go back to her normal life, but does she take it? Of course not. 

— Look, boys, don’t go shooting your sticky fluids at girls. That’s just rude and gross… mostly gross.

— When we last left off, the spider siblings were having a feud, and well, they’re still at it. That doesn’t stop Aoi from sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong, though. Plus, if you ever want to get people to talk, just give them ice cream. That girl has one bowl in her possession, and she’s content to pimp the hell out of it.

— We’re getting this flashback again, but this time, it’s from Suzuran’s perspective. It doesn’t make it any less boring, though. Basically, the old man took them in, cared for them, fed them, then ditched them. Why? Beats me. He told them it’d be hard to survive in the apparent realm, but uh, isn’t that why they’re with him? He sent them back long before he adopted Aoi, so it wasn’t that. Maybe he just didn’t want to raise them anymore, but the story pretty much glosses over that since it can’t stop fellating this dead, old man. Seriously, even though he old his own granddaughter into an arranged marriage, it’s like a nonstop praise-fest for him every single episode. I just can’t wait for other shoe to drop: I bet there’s going to be a plot twist in which he never sold Aoi at all or something like that.

— Apparently, folks from the hidden realm like to make everything sweet. I’m starting to think that something like Panda Express would be a huge hit with the ayakashi.

— Suzuran also reveals that she could’ve worked at the inn, but she chose to become a geisha just because Shiro kept visiting the castle. And even though he’s been dead for quite some time, she still wants to go to the apparent realm. Why? So she can hang out with his dead body. No, really. She has no concrete plans other than to stay by his side even though he’s dead. She seems to have an unhealthy obsession with the old man, but again, the story glosses over anything that can be deemed negative.

— What’s also sad here is that Akatsuki is painted as the bad guy for getting in his sister’s way, but what brother in his place wouldn’t worry? My sister is going to go to a realm where she can’t earn a living nor have shelter? She’s going just sit by a dead guy’s grave? Of course I don’t want her to do that!

— Anyways, Aoi insists on mending the relationship between the two siblings, so when she returns to the annex, she whips up a smoothie and force-feeds Akatsuki. This turns him back into his human form, which allows her to suddenly tackle the guy and lecture him about how he’s supposed to encourage his sister throw her life away for no reason.

— The following day, Ginji drops by with all the ingredients necessary to make dumplings. Who’s paying for this? The restaurant isn’t open yet, so Aoi doesn’t have any money. Ginji must be paying for everything out of his own pocket, but why? What’s in it for him? And how can he keep affording to spoil Aoi? The girl promised Odanna that she would repay her grandfather’s debt, but after five episodes, she hasn’t earned a single yen (or whatever currency that they use in this realm).

— Cooking brings the whole family together.

— Oh yeah, Shiro taught Aoi how to make shitty food for humans just so that she can feed any ayakashi that she comes across instead. The girl thinks he did this to protect her, but I mean, he did put her up as collateral. Who’s to say he didn’t teach her to cook shitty food because he planned on having her marry that bastard Odanna in the first place? Hey, I’m not related to him, so I have no reason to defend his ass.

— I do like the fact that you can tell who made which dumplings.

— Eh, I prefer potstickers over steamed dumplings, ’cause y’know… fried food always taste better.

— Oh boy, we’re taming each staff member one-by-one!

— While I agree that both Suzuran and Akatsuki are adults, so they can make their own decisions, I still think the girl’s decision is really fucking dumb. She’s got issues and she’s living in the past.

— Anyways, the day of her departure finally arrives, but it is not without its share of excitement. The creepy guy who wanted to forcefully marry her two episodes ago is back. Luckily for her, Akatsuki has finally accepted the fact that he can’t prevent his sister from wasting her life.

— Odanna even gives Aoi tickets that will allow her to go back to the apparent realm. After all, someone needs to guide Suzuran to Shiro’s gravestone. But dude, this is the perfect opportunity for the girl to get out of this stupid predicament! Go back to school, establish a career, go traveling, so on and so forth!

— The animation is getting worse and worse. This white stuff is supposed to be Akatsuki’s spider webs. He shoots out one huge torrent in order to shield his sister and Aoi from the evil cannonballs.

— And we’re back!

— So Aoi takes Suzuran to her grandfather’s grave, and they continue to think about Shiro even more. Like, OMG, Shiro is so great, you guys. But when dusk arrives, Aoi turns to find that Suzuran has just gone poof into thin air.

— Not really, she’s right here. Like she said, she’s literally just gonna waste her life away with Shiro’s grave. Dumb.

— As for our heroine, she takes like one goddamn second to think about it and decides definitively that she’s going to return to the hidden realm. Even if she really wants to return, you’d think she’d have things to care of. Like, y’know, dropping out of school, ending the lease on her apartment (or whatever arrangements she has in place), making sure she doesn’t have any outstanding dues, canceling the power and water at wherever she was staying at before she got whisked away, etc. But nah, who cares about your responsibilities! Let’s just fuck off back to the land of pretty boy demons!

— Dumb.

— Is this a case of Stockholm syndrome? It sure feels like it.

— My posts on this show are probably the least read of out of everything I put out this season, but that’s fine. I’m going to keep blogging it because I can. Just like how I’m gonna keep ignoring Lupin III because I can!